TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 1 overall seed Alabama opened the Tuscaloosa Regional with a statement on Friday, beating South Carolina Upstate 8-0 in five innings at Rhoads Stadium.
The Crimson Tide, now 50-7, move straight into another test Saturday when they play Belmont at 1 p.m. CT. Alabama softball enters that game with momentum after finishing its regional debut early, while Belmont arrives at 41-11 in a field that also includes USC Upstate and Southeastern Louisiana.
Friday's result gave Alabama exactly the start it wanted in a bracket that leaves little room for error. The Tuscaloosa Regional is hosted by the nation's top seed, and the Tide protected that advantage immediately by ending the game in five innings against the Spartans, who are 36-22. Belmont's matchup with Alabama will air on +, and the other side of the regional will keep moving at 3:30 p.m. CT when South Carolina Upstate plays Southeastern Louisiana, which is 46-15.
The winner of that game will stay alive into the night session and face the loser of Alabama vs. Belmont at 6 p.m. CT. That structure raises the pressure quickly for every team not named Alabama, because one loss can shove a club into survival mode by Saturday evening. Alabama, meanwhile, has already bought itself a measure of breathing room, but the bracket is still designed to make even a top seed keep proving it every round.
Catfish 100.1 FM carries Alabama softball games, giving local listeners another way to follow the Tide as the regional tightens. The bigger question now is whether Belmont can slow the top seed long enough to force Alabama into a longer afternoon, or whether the Tide will keep their clean start rolling and move one step closer to the next round.
